PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
PA Chairman Mahmoud AbbasIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The Palestinian Authority, considered by many to be a moderate entity which seeks to reach a peace agreement with Israel, is continuing to glorify terror groups that carried out lethal attacks against Israelis.

On the 44th anniversary of the establishment of the terror organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), PA TV broadcast extensively from the PFLP organization’s celebration. Among the things played during the ceremony was part of a song praising the PFLP's assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi in 2001.

The song was translated and presented on the website of the Palestinian Media Watch research institute.

The words of the songs are as follows:

“On Oct. 17, [2001], the [gun's] silencer made sounds of joy
At the Regency Hotel, the death sentence [of Minister Ze'evi] was carried out
[PFLP's] Secretary General Ahmad Sa'adat swore and threatened [Israel]
The Eagles (PFLP military wing) were called to gather information...”

The head of the PFLP, Ahmad Saadat, was sentenced in 2008 to 30 years in prison for heading the PFLP. He is also suspected of planning Zeevi’s assassination. There were speculations that he might be freed as part of the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit in October, but Israel refused to include him.

The song continues with the following words, though these were not heard on PA television because another speech began before the song was finished:

“[The Eagles were called to gather information] 
on the Israeli government, 
and on the ministers of death
On the 40th day [after Israel's killing of PFLP member Abu Ali Mustafa] 
the fig leaves fell: 
[PFLP member] Majdi [Al-Rimawi] planned [and]
[PFLP armed wing] Abu Ali Brigades broke into the hotel [with] forged passports
[PFLP members Basel] Al-Asmar [the look-out] 
and [Hamdi] Qur'an [who shot Ze'evi] responded loudly: 
‘Oh miserable Ze'evi, by Allah, death has reached you.’
The first item on all [news] broadcasts was that the Abu Ali Brigades are professionals in targeted assassinations.
On the front pages of [Israeli newspapers] Ma'ariv and Yediot was a big photo of Ze'evi in a coffin.”